Attractions from Pakistan

Attractions from

The city of Gilgit (Gilgit)Gilgit is the administrative base of the region, and is full of tourists from May to October, all seeking some better food-standard than what can be found in the rest of the region. It is also a great place to observe the locals, coming to the town to trade, and you're just as peculiar a sight to them, as they are to you.

Lok Virsa Museum (Islamabad)Lok Virsa, the country's best ethnographic museum, is a world-class museum and definitely worth a visit if you want to understand the people of this strange country better. Besides the people's history and remains, there is also a section with traditional handicrafts in clay, wood and textile. Here you can see how the souvenirs you buy should actually look like.

Shah Faisal Mosque (Islamabad)The largest mosque in Asia, with room for 100,000 worshippers. This bombastic marble mosque cost US$ 50 million, whereof most came from Saudi Arabia. Tourists are always welcome, so be discrete and avoid the midday prayer, especially on Fridays.

The parks (Islamabad)Enjoy the calm of the Islamabad's many parks, while watching the world go by. Shakarparian Park has a section with a lot of sculptures and a fantastic view of both cities (Islamabad and Rawalpindi).

Dhobi Ghat by the river (Karachi)Go out to this place early in the morning and see Pakistan's largest laundry! A 3-4 km long riverbank is converted into a laundry, where people wash and dye clothes and textiles, while chatting and telling stories. Don't be surprised if you're offered a cup of tea with milk.

The district of Saddar (Karachi)Karachi's city centre and main shopping area. Here, you can find anything from leather goods to gingerbread and Chanel perfume. Stroll around the various areas and observe the everyday life. There's a new experience around every corner.

The mosque Masjid-i-tuba (Defence housing society mosque) (Karachi)Most people are impressed by this building, which has the world's largest dome, with a diameter of 72 metres. It is built in white marble and has thousands of mirrors embedded in the ceiling as small stars, which gives it a very special touch.

Balistan region (Karakoram (North Pakistan))An hour south of Gilgit and off the Karakoram highway is this region, known as "Little Tibet", which is due to the large concentration of Tibetans, who came here as early as the 18th century. Today, a lot of different people live here and it is an adventurous experience to travel from village to village, watching the street life.

Hunza Valley (Karakoram (North Pakistan))Hunza is a valley, which breaks the mountain range on Karakoram Highway. The hospitable locals welcome you to this beautiful area, which is more open to tourists and more developed than other parts of the country without having lost its original Pakistani charm. The curved rivers flowing through the brown mountains with snow-clad peaks make it easy to understand why somebody think that this is Shangri-La, the lost paradise.

The mountains and the people (Karakoram (North Pakistan))The primary reason to go here is not the cultural sights, but the mountains; the rough, desert and some places fertile and green mountains, along with the friendly people who live here. See a broad, toothless smile on the face of an old man, whose face has been marked by the wind and weather, the burning sun and the bitterly cold frost. This is also a great place to go trekking.

The city of Lahore (Lahore)The most important city in Pakistan, culturally and economically, scares off the tourists with its pollution and social problems, which give a bad first-time impression. It doesn't take long though, before you can appreciate the fantastic architecture, the green parks and gardens and the mosques and temples. It is an easy place to escape the 21st century.

A train-trip through the Bolan Pass (Pakistan)If you're tired of trekking in the mountains, working your way through museums and explore the curious towns on your own, you should try a train ride through Bolan Pass. In the relaxing comfort of the train car, you can experience some of the most amazing sceneries in Pakistan.

Karakoram Highway (Pakistan)Karakoram Highway is actually just a road from Islamabad to China, but it is also a journey into another world. On bending, desert roads high up in the Himalayas you pass villages, where a range of different ethnic people welcome you to their simple and beautiful homes.

The ruin city of Moenjodaro (Pakistan)Of the 165 archaeological attractions in the Indus Valley, this is the most grandiose one from the antique civilisation (2500 B.C.). The ruin's interesting history can be explored in a nearby museum.

Trekking to K2 (Pakistan)It is possible to trek up to K2 Base Camp (5135 metres), in northern Pakistan, from the end of April to the end of October, before the winter sets in. If you're fit, self-sufficient and fairly experienced, you will get a hard, but beautiful trip in these desert areas.

Khyber Pass (Peshawar)This border region, near Peshawar, between the present countries, which used to be kingdoms, is not a place one goes to enjoy the view, but to honor the many people who have transported goods from one part of the continent to another for centuries. The Khyber Pass is an idea, a dream, and in the midst of this dream and the beautiful surroundings live many of the mountain tribes, who makes the area unsafe.

Peshawar Museum (Peshawar)Besides Buddhist and Gandaraic artwork, there's a fine ethnographic collection from the tribal people of the area. If you want to understand how they're different from the ordinary Pakistani, this is a good place to start.

The old district (Peshawar)The old district is the reason for coming to Peshawar, and you'll most unlikely not grow tired of observing the different ethnic groups. The various mountain tribes wander around in their traditional clothing and try to find out what the modern world can offer them, to improve their life, while donkeys walk around in the various covered bazaars, with provisions and goods.

The city of Bahawalpur (Punjab)Bahawalpur is on of the more pleasant surprises of Punjab, as the relaxed city has some of the most friendly and hospitable inhabitants in all of southern Pakistan. If you're invited home for coffee, tea or dinner, take advantage of this opportunity to see the Pakistani everyday life up close.

The village of Uch Sharif (Punjab)This little village is situated on a mountain peak, far away from everything, and has an incredible view. It isn't the view that is its main attraction, though, but the town's history and religious significance. Built in the 5th century B.C. by Hindus and later visited by Alexander the Great, it is the center of the mysterious, religious sect, the Sufis, and a Sikh place of pilgrimage. If you're into religion, you'll love it.